Spring drive for shaking conveyers



July 28, 1936.

SPRING DRI VE FQR SHAKING CONVEYERS Filed Aug. 22, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IHIIIIIMI I i276 C NBebi/zyer c. N. BEBINGER 9,346

Patented July 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE SPRING DRIVE FOR SHAKING' CONVEYERS Application August 22, 1935, Serial No. 37,356

Claims.

' The invention relates generally to shaking conveyers, and more particularly to a spring drive construction for shaking conveyers, which are especially adapted for conveying coal and the 5 like in a mine.

Such shaking conveyers are required to have a reciprocating movement which is slow and gradual during the forward stroke so as to advance the material carried thereby, and which is relatively sudden and rapidduring the rearward stroke so that the material will remain in its advanced position due to its inertia.

It is desirable to provide spring means or other yieldable means for cushioning the shock of the conveyer load when the motion of the conveyer changes, and for further protecting the driving connections in the event the conveyer becomes jammed or wedged for any reason.

I am aware that certain prior constructions have included a yieldable driving connection pivotally mounted on a driving crank, for transmiti ting the motion of the crank to the drive trough section of the conveyer, through aconnecting rod.

I have found from actual experience that this '5 prior type of construction has many serious disadvantages and causes much difficulty in operation, so as to substantially prohibit its use, from a practical and economical standpoint.

For example, where the yieldable driving connection is pivotally mounted on the driving crank, the height of the conveyer drive trough must be sufiicient to take care of the vertical motion of the whole driving connection as the crank rotates, and the angularity of the connecting rod and drive trough requires a relatively long drive trough to make the connection with the main conveyer at its relatively low elevation. In a mine, it is very important to keep the conveyer 4 trough as low as possible because of the lack of overhead clearance and to use a short drive trough to facilitate installation and handling.

Moreover, the vertical motion of the driving connection or unit, due to rotation of the crank, 45 tends to cause vertical or tossing motion in the conveyer drive trough, which detracts from the eiiective longitudinal conveying action, and also renders it more difficult to maintain the drive trough in alignment. The longer the conveyer 50 the more this tossing action is accentuated because of the heavier conveyer load.

Mounting the drive unit directly on the crank imposes a heavy load thereon, with the result that the driving mechanism must be made extremely '55 strong and heavy, and'excessive driving power is required to produce the desired conveying action.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a spring drive for transmitting reciprocating motion from the driving crank to 5 the conveyer drive trough, which drive may be located directly under the drive trough and still permit the drive trough to be carried at a minimum height above the driving crank.

Another object is to provide a spring drive 10 which transmits the motion of the driving crank to the drive trough to longitudinally reciprocate the same with a minimum of vertical or tossing motion for light or heavy conveyer loads.

Another object is to provide a spring drive for a '5 shaking conveyer which does not impose additional load on the driving crank, and which produces a conveying action of maximum effectiveness with a minimum of driving power.

In prior constructions wherein the drivingunit 20 includes shock absorbing springs and is carried directly on the crank, it is very ditficult to adjust the tension in the springs when the conveyer is being reciprocated due to the rotary motion of the crank and of the whole drive unit carried thereby; and since the tension of the springs must be adjusted for each different conveyer load, proper adjustment can only be reached by continued trial. I

Furthermore, when the drive unit is carried directly on the crank, it is practically impossible to obtain a good longitudinal conveying action for light conveyer loads, due to the fact that the rotary movement of the drive unit detracts from the effectiveness of the longitudinal conveying action.

Also, where the whole drive, unit rotates with the crank, the danger factor is extremely high because centriiugalforce would tend to throw out a broken spring or other part and cause serious damage or injury. 7

It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide a spring drive construction which can be easily adjusted for any conveyer load while the conveyer is in motion.

change of motion of the conveyer load, which springs at the same time impart the slow'forward movement and rapid rearward movement to the conveyer.

A still further object is to provide a spring drive construction for a shaking conveyer, which permits maintaining the conveyer drive trough in accurate alignment during reciprocation, and which may be economically constructed, installed and operated. 7 And finally, it is an object of the present invention to overcome substantially all of the disadvantages and difficulties of prior constructions, and to generally improve the art.

These and other objects are accomplished by the improvements, arrangements and combinations comprising the present invention, which is hereinafter described in detail and defined in the V appended claims. 7

In general terms the present invention includes a spring drive carried directly on a conveyer drive trough which is located over a driving crank, said spring drive including springs of unequal strength for imparting a gradual forward longitudinal movement and a sudden rearward longitudinal movement to the drive trough, and a connecting rod operatively connecting the spring drive tothe driving crank. I i H In the drawings forming part hereof Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved spring drive connected to the drive trough of a shaking onveyer, parts being broken away to better illustrate the driving mechanism;

Fig. Zis a side elevation thereof;

. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view as on line 3-3, Fig. 1;

. ing. the conveyer preferably includes an electric as by cap screws l8, in a usual mannenand the r ,out the drawings.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View as on line Fig. '5 is a fragmentary sectional. View as on line 55, Fig. 1; and

6 is a fragmentary 66, Fig. 1. 7

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughelevation as on line The drive trough section of a shaking conveyer is indicated at H], and the delivery end thereof is indicated at H,.so that the movement of. the

{material on the conveyer is in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2. :3

The power driving mechanism for reciprocatmotor l2 supported atione end of a base l3 which preferably extends transversely under the drive trough in. The motor shaft l4 may have a flywheel l5 thereon and extends into a gear box l6 for connection with suitable reduction gearing housed in said gear box, for driving the crank l1 extending from the opposite side of the gear box at the, required speed. j e

The gear box IE is supported upon the base l3 base is positioned transversely of the driveltrough so as to bring .the crank ll directly. under the longitudinal axis'of the conveyer.

The base preferably includes a heavy base plate having. spaced holes or depressions 29 therein for receiving jacks to support the safe from the ceiling of a mine and the like. I

The improved spring drive unit is indicated generally at 2 I, and is rigidly secured to the drive trough H preferably ashortdistance from the base !3 ina direction longitudinally of the com veyer. The drive trough may have a cast mounting structure 22 rigidly secured to a drive trough .provided with a flange 23 to which' the spring ends of the guide rods on the opposite. side of :28 has at its central 'portio-n' aj, spring. centering boss 36 coaxial. with andextending toward boss spring 38 is interposed between saddle 33 and thrust abutment 128 and centered'on the bosses 33.

spherical bushing 4d,.which is. in 'turn journalled on the pivot pin45 pivoted on the ears dfi ofth drive unit is secured. The spring drive unit preferably includes a frame 24 having at its upper side a flange 25 which abuts the flange23 and is secured thereto by means of'bo'lts 26. a

The frame 24 is preferably provided at the end adjacent the base l3 with depending portions forming laterally spaced longitudinal guides 21, and at its oposite end the frame 24 is provided. with 'adepending thrust abutment. 28' having laterally spaced longitudinal guides'29. The axes of the guides 21 and 29 coincide; and are parallel to' the drive trough l0.

-A pair of guide rods 30 is slidablymounted in the guides 21 and 29 for longitudinal movement parallel to the drive trough in. Between the guides 27 and 29 a spring saddle 3l'is adjustably secured to the guide rods 39 by means of nuts 32 screwed on the guide rods.

A spring saddle 33 is adjustably secured to the the thrust abutment 28. by'means of nuts screwed on the guiderods; :Thus the. saddles BI and 33 are'adjustably secured on the guide rods at longitudinally opposite sides of the thrust abutment 28. V Preferably, the spring saddles 3 land 33 have at their central portions coaxial spring centering 1 bosses 3i and 33', respectively, extending'toward the thrust abutment 28, andthe thrust abutment 33", and a spring centering boss 3'lcoaxial' with and extending toward boss 3|.

Preferably, a j'relatively 1 weak compression,

and 36; and a relatively strong compression spring 39 is interposed between saddle 3| and thrust abutment. 28' and centeredon the'bossesf3 l and 31; said springs acting to oppose each other and to yieldingly'tra nsmitrthe longitudinal'recipe rocatory movement of the saddles to the conveyer.

Oil reservoirs 2!" and 29" may be provided on the guides 21 and 29 respectively, for providing lubrication for the guide rods 30. I

The means for operatively connecting the driving crank H to the spring drive unit 2| mums mitting longitudinal reciprocating movement to the conveyer preferably includes a connecting rod crank and at the other. end to springsaddle 3 l Preferably; the crank end of the connecting 'rod 49 has a journal portion-4i, which is'journalled on a bushing 42 on thegcrank, and the bushing 42' has a spherical outer surface -conforming to a spherical inner surfacepn journal 4! to form a self-aligning bearing. Likewise, the opposite end of the connecting rod'4ll isprovided with a journal portion 43 which is journalled' ona spring saddle ,3! (Fig. 3)' to forma self-aligning bearingiat that end of the connecting rod.

The journal portionltl may be provided with an bearingon the crank I]; 1 r

Means for rollably supporting thedischarge end llof the drive trough l0 {may include a carriage roller 48.journalled on a shaft 49 'which is preferably carried at one end'in the housing of of the shaft 49 passes'through a bracket arm'5l which ismounted onthe base I3 and'secured thereto bybolts 52. Preferably, the end'of shaft.

oil reservoirf tlf', for lubricating' the self-aligning "the gear box Is, as shownat 5:0. The othe'r end 49 which projects through bracket arm 5| has.

{secured thereto a; plate 53 which isboltedjto the 7 5 arm 5i by bolts 54-, for securely-holding the-shaft iiiinxpositioml Preferably; the bracket armfil and-the gear. box housing are provided with vertically spaced ih'oles 59-! :for: receiving. theyshaft 49.130 support the-:carriage roller 48 =at.difierent elevations foraadjusting the heightoithe-drive trough l6: z :Because of the fact that theispring ;drive unit is spaced from the "crank, IT longitudinally of: the conveyer, the, supporting ro1-1erH48- for;the drive trough may be mounted on the same base 13 as the power driving mechanismzwithout enlarging thebaser ;If the spring drive unit were carried; on the crank, a separate support would berequired for the carriagerollenor the base wouldhaveto beextended longitudinally of the conveyer to take care of thesame. Since, the base plateis necessarilyheavy and rugged for carrying-the power drive mechanism-his, extremely important from aneconomical and installation standpoint to keep the base to av minimum size. r

i In the operation of theimproved -apparatus it is customary to initiallyadjust the spring saddles 3| and 33sothatthespringsGE -and 39 are each under a small amount -of compression. For; a given conveyer load, .this, adjustment maybe varied while the conveyer is reciprocatingto obtain .the vmost effective stroke for conveying-the materal' {.rii. i .As.the crank l1 starts its forward revolution tendingto move thespring, saddle 3| to the right asviewed in .Figs.,1 and 2,- the: rods 30 :wilhmove saddle 33 m the right-until the comprejssionfo f springjfi is sufiicientto move the load of the con- ,veyer forward, or to the right. 1 Since the spring '35 is relatively weak, the load ofthe conveyer ,will be picked up gradually, anddurlng the last part of the forward stroke, the conveyer will move to the right without further compression of the spring.

When the crank reaches the end of its forward travel the momentum of the conveyer carries the conveyer still further to the right while the crank is starting its rearward stroke. The rearward movement of the crank combined with the forward momentum of the conveyer acts to compress the relatively strong spring 39 relatively sudden and rapidly so that the conveyer load on the rearward stroke is picked up and the movement of the conveyer reversed suddenly with a sharp bump, which serves to slide the conveyer rearwardly under the material carried thereby, and allow the material to remain in its advanced position due to its previous gradual forward movement.

Moreover, the built up energy in the strong spring 39 relieves the load on the crank during the first part of the rearward stroke, and the conveyer load is picked up before the crank passes over center, with the result that the rearward stroke of the conveyer is more rapid than the forward stroke, thus materially aiding the efiectiveness of the conveyer action.

When the strong spring 39 has been expanded on the rearward stroke, and the crank reaches the end of its rearward travel, the conveyer continues to move rearwardly during the first part of the forward motion of the crank until the compression of spring 38 is sufficient to gradually pick up the conveyer load and again move the same forwardly to the right.

The present improved spring drive construction provides spring means carried directly on the conveyer for cushioning shocks due to the change of motion of the conveyer and to other causes, which spring means also acts to impart a gradual rela- -trough is relatively small.

tively slow: forward movement and a sudden relatively-rapid rearward movementto the conveyer.

Moreover, the improved :-1dri've. provides spring means which always act in directions parallel to themoyementofthesconveyer, so that. the maximum effectiveness of the motion of the driving crank'isa-transmitted to. the conveyer to cause it toreciprocate longitudinally. i The present improvedsspring drive unit is car- :ried directly under the. conveyer and permits a driving crank also tobe located directly thereun- .der:still' allowing the height of the conveyer. at the crank to bekeptat a minimum. i

The. minimum height of the conveyer above the crank and the straight line movement of the driving. springs-enables the use of a relatively short' drive trough because the difference in elevation'rbetween'the. main conveyer and the drive Since the whole weight of the spring drive unit is carried on and'supp'orted by the conveyer, there is no excess load carried by the-driving crank, so

.that the'yerticalmotion or.tossing efiect of the crank-on the coriveyeris substantially eliminated, with the result-that the drive .troughof the con- :veyer maybe maintained in accurate alignment,

and a longitudinal conveying action of maximum effectiveness: is obtained.

- It is relativelyeasytoadjust the tension on the compression springs of the .spring 'drive while the conveyer is in motion, since the springs and spring saddles always move longitudinally of the conveyer. Accordingly, since the springs and spring saddles have a relatively slow straight line motion, the tension of the compression springs may be easily and quickly adjusted for each conveyer load while the conveyer is reciprocating, by adjusting the position of the spring saddles on the guide rods by means of nuts 32 and 34.

Due to the fact that the springs and spring saddles always travel in straight lines parallel to the conveyer, it is possible to obtain a good conveying action for light conveyer loads, because the 60 In case of breakage of a spring, for example, in

the drive unit, there is little danger of damage or injury because the moving parts of the drive unit have a straight line motion which does not tend to cause the broken parts to be thrown out, as would be the case if the springs had a rotary motion.

The fact that the improved spring drive unit is longitudinally spaced from the crank permits the use of self-aligning bearings at each end of the connecting rod to maintain the conveyer in accurate longitudinal alignment without imposing undue stress and strain upon any of the parts of the driving mechanism.

The present improved construction is economically constructed, installed and operated, and has been found in actual practice to substantially overcome all of the disadvantages and'dimculties of prior constructions. V

I'claim:

' 1. Driving construction for a shaking conveyer rod pivotally connecting one of .thesaddies to the driving crank. V

2. Driving construction for a shaking conveyer having a drive trough, including a driving crank located under said drive trough, power drive means operatively connected to said crank, .a spring drive frame rigidly mounted directly on said drivetrou'gh and having guides, a thrust abutment on the drive frame, saddles at longitudinally opposite sides of said thrust abutment, rods adjustably connecting said saddles and longitudinally slidable in said g'uides,'spring means interposed between the thrust abutment and. said 1 saddles, and a connecting rod pivotally connected at one end to the driving crank and at the other end to one of said saddles. f

3. A spring drive for a shaking conveyor, ineluding a frame secured to the conveyer, guide rods slidable in the framelongitudlnally of the conveyor and having saddles adjustably secured thereto at opposite ends thereof, a connecting rod connected at one endto one ofthe'saddles, 7 power driven crank means operatively connected tov the other end of the connecting rod, said frame having a portion depending between'said saddles, and springs of unequal strength interposed between the saddles and said depending portion for transmitting a gradual forwardmove-j merit and a sudden rearward movement to the '10 conveyer.

4; Ayspring drive "iorla' shaking conveyen inlcluding-a frame secured to the conveyer, guide rods slidable in the frame longitudinally of the conveyer and having saddles adjustably secured 1,5,

thereto at opposite ends thereof, power driven crank means located'directly under the conveyer, a connecting rod pivotall-y connecting one of the saddles to said crank means, said frame having a portion depending between said saddles, 2o

and springs interposed between the saddles and said depending portion for transmitting longitudinal reciprocating movement to the conveyer. 5. Driving construction for a shaking'conveyer having a'drive trough, including a' base extend- 25;;

ing transversely under the drive troughpa motor on the base, a gear box on the base operatively connected to said motor for driving a crank ex tending from said gear box under the drive trough, 'a roller 'for'carrying the drive trout-511 supported at oneend on said gear box andatthe other end on said base, and a spring drive unit rigidly mounted on the drive trough and operatively connected to said crank for transmitting longitudinal recipr a 1110mm Said drive trough. V V V 'CHARLESN. BEBINGER. 

